SENATORIAL candidate Harry Roque on Tuesday pledged to expand the school feeding program to include more students as more schools are expected to resume face-to-face classes.

“Dapat lahat ng estudyante may libreng masustansiyang tanghalian lalo na magkakaroon na ng face-to-face classes. Kailangan pong malusog ang ating mga estudyante sa pagbabalik eskwela nila,” Roque said in a statement.

“Mahalaga po ang kalusugan ng mga bata lalo na po sa panahon na mayroon pa rin pong banta ng Covid19,” he added.

Roque was the principal author of the Republic Act 11037 or the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act which President Rodrigo Duterte signed in June 2018.

It institutionalized the National Feeding Program for malnourished children in public daycare, kindergarten and elementary schools.

Under the law, the government provides a supplemental feeding program for daycare children; a school-based feeding program for public school children in kindergarten through Grade 6; a milk-feeding program; a micronutrient feeding program; health examinations; vaccinations and deworming.

Roque said the Department of Education delivered nutritious food to households or allowed parents to pick them up from schools because of the pandemic.

“Tayo po ang nagtaguyod ng libreng tanghalian. Noong wala pong face-to-face classes dinedeliver po ang masustansyang pananghalian sa mga kabataan may kasama ng gatas,” he said.

“Sinigurado po natin na kahit may pandemya ay nakapagbigay pa rin po tayo ng masustansyang pagkain sa mga bata at mga mag-aaral.”